Children's Talents
by Satol
Summary: Feliciano finds an old scrapbook in his library. When he picks out a photo of their family, he finds a folded picture that was hidden underneath it. A folded, /torn/ picture. And someone's missing.


"Uwah!"

Kiku ran over as a large crash was heard from the corner of the crammed library. Rounding the bend around a bookshelf, he was greeted by the site of Feliciano, sprawled across the floor and rubbing the back of his head. Several books were scattered about, and an old, dusty volume was clutched tightly in the Italian's right hand. The step ladder had skidded a few feet away across the floor when Feli had fallen.

Sighing with relief, Kiku bent down to pick up the fallen books. "Feliciano-kun," he chided the taller brunette, "You really must be more careful. You don't want to damage the books." Having replaced the last of the books back upon the shelf, he dusted his hands off. "So? What did you find?"

Feli sat up and scratched the back of his head sheepishly, the book in his lap. "Veh... you don't have to do my work, Kiku," he said, blowing the dust off of his discovery. "And this is a scrapbook from when Nii-chan and I were little." He opened the dry pages, and flipped through them slowly. "See? Here's a picture of me and Nii-chan, and us drawing, and us sleeping, and us with grandpa, a- oh look! A family photo!"

Carefully, Feli picked out the photo. It showed two young brown-haired boys, both smiling happily, seated on each knee of an old man sitting in a chair. Though the grandfather was obviously very old, he still wore an energetic smile, and held his grandsons close. Around the chair on both sides stood the parents, proud and happy.

While Kiku observed the photograph, Feli quietly unfolded the paper that had been hidden underneath. It was a crayon drawing, a good one, too. Three adults and a child with a curl on the left of his head in a park, all smiling. The bottom left corner was torn off.

"What's that, Feliciano-kun?" Kiku asked curiously, looking over his younger friend's shoulder.

"Oh, this?" came the reply. "It's something Lovi drew, I think."

Gently, the Japanese man took the paper from the Italian and scrutinized it. It's very good," he said, smiling the smallest bit. "The textures are realistic, and the style is advanced. He was very talented."

Feli sighed and looked back down to the picture of the tw of them painting together. "Isn't it, though?" he asked, a touch of sadness in his voice. "He was better than me in some ways. Most of all, his drawings had _life_. I just drew whatever was around me. Lovi made his own scenes from his head, and he put his entire heart and soul into everything that he drew, even if the result didn't look as good. But everyone always overlooked that..."

Kiku gasped. Feli, falling out of his reflective state, looked up curiously. His companion was staring at the rip in the picture. "Here," he said, pointing to the bottom of the jagged edge. Feliciano gasped as well when he realized what his friend was saying.

At the bottom, the tearing was perfectly straight, as if cut with scissors; then, gradually, it became a tear. Almost as if the culprit had gotten frustrated with a pair of child-safe scissors and ripped the beautiful piece themselves in the end.

Realization dawned upon the Italian. Without another word, he grabbed the book and drawing, and ran out the door, his eyes beginning to well with tears.

Lovino Vargas was about to walk out the front gate for some time alone, when the sounds of panting, coupled with shoes slapping on the cobblestones made him turn. Skidding to a stop, his brother leaned on his knees for a moment to catch his breath, holding a dusty book and a ripped sheet of paper in his hands.

"Nii-chan!" Feli nearly shouted, green eyes wet with unshed tears. Forcefully, he shoved the ripped sheet in his brother's face. "You cut yourself out of the picture, didn't you!" Sobs now filled the speech, as the younger twin tried to control himself. "Why!"

In response, Lovino found that he could only sigh sadly and look at the ground. His golden-brown eyes, usually scrunched in a scowl, were now turned upwards sadly. "Because... for them, you were enough," he finally said, still unable to face his brother. "Mom and dad always liked you more; they found pride in your, and no one ever complimented me like they did you." Here, he searched in his jacket's inside pocket, and brought out the corner of a piece of paper. He looked at the crayon marks etched on it sadly as he continued. "I figured... I figured you were the only twin they really cared about."

Suddenly, he found himself embraced by his weeping sibling's arms. "Th- they _did_ care," Feli sniffled. "I do too; you're my big brother, and one of my most favorite people in the world."

Lovino found himself instinctively hugging Feli back, saying that it was all okay, that everything would be alright, face still remorseful and not quite believing it himself.

Pulling away, Feliciano held the book out to his big brother. "See?" he whispered, wiping a sleeve across his eyes. "They did care." Taking the proffered book, Lovino Vargas took a look at the title and smiled, a single teardrop rolling down his left cheek.

"Lovi-chan's Book volume 4, age 4~5"

* * *

This wasn't exactly a one-shot, but I didn't actually sit down with the entire thing worked out, either. I thought about the basic theme, and skeletal structure, but from there I let it unfold itself. Hope you enjoyed it!


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